Enzo Fernandez was met by a mixed reception from Chelsea supporters as he made his return to Stamford Bridge in Saturday’s 3-1 pre-season victory over Real Sociedad.
The Argentina midfielder was booed by sections of the crowd when he came on in the 62nd minute, while other supporters responded by chanting his name.
The reaction came less than 24 hours after Chelsea’s self-imposed deadline for Manchester City to make an offer for Fernandez passed without a bid meeting the club’s £120million valuation.
Fernandez’s future had dominated the build-up to the game. The 25-year-old had been keen on a move to Real Madrid earlier in the summer before their interest ended, while his representatives subsequently held discussions with City.
Chelsea made it clear that Fernandez would only be allowed to leave if their valuation was met by Friday’s 17:00 BST deadline. No such offer arrived, leaving the club expecting the midfielder to remain at Stamford Bridge.
That did not prevent a divided reaction from the home support.
Fernandez booed by Chelsea fans after transfer saga
Fernandez was booed by some supporters when his name was announced before kick-off, while others made their feelings clear when he entered the pitch in the second half. His touches were subsequently greeted by a mixture of cheers and jeers.
There was also a notable show of support from Chelsea captain Reece James. When James was substituted, he handed the captain’s armband to Fernandez, as has been customary when the Argentine has worn it in his absence.
Fernandez’s relationship with sections of the Chelsea support had already become strained following reports of his desire to join Real Madrid and comments from his agent, Javier Pastore, about his salary.
The midfielder nevertheless remains an important part of Chelsea’s plans under new head coach Xabi Alonso, who introduced him from the bench against Real Sociedad.
The match itself offered plenty of encouragement for Alonso, with Morgan Rogers scoring on his Chelsea debut and Joao Pedro continuing his impressive pre-season form with two goals.
For Fernandez, however, the reception underlined that the transfer saga has not been completely forgotten by Chelsea supporters, even though he is now expected to stay at the club.